TY - JOUR A1 - Yazdanbakhsh, Pedram A1 - Solbach, Klaus A1 - Bitz, Andreas T1 - Variable power combiner for RF mode shimming in 7-T MR imaging JF - IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering N2 - This contribution discusses the utilization of RF power in an MRI system with RF mode shimming which enables the superposition of circularly polarized modes of a transmit RF coil array driven by a Butler matrix. Since the required power for the individual modes can vary widely, mode-shimming can result in a significant underutilization of the total available RF power. A variable power combiner (VPC) is proposed to improve the power utilization: it can be realized as a reconfiguration of the MRI transmit system by the inclusion of one additional matrix network which receives the power from all transmit amplifiers at its input ports and provides any desired (combined) power distribution at its output ports by controlling the phase and amplitude of the amplifiers’ input signals. The power distribution at the output ports of the VPC is then fed into the “mode” ports of the coil array Butler matrix in order to superimpose the spatial modes at the highest achievable power utilization. The VPC configuration is compared to the standard configuration of the transmit chain of our MRI system with 8 transmit channels and 16 coils. In realistic scenarios, improved power utilization was achieved from 17% to 60% and from 14% to 55% for an elliptical phantom and a region of interest in the abdomen, respectively, and an increase of the power utilization of 1 dB for a region of interest in the upper leg. In general, it is found that the VPC allows significant improvement in power utilization when the shimming solution demands only a few modes to be energized, while the technique can yield loss in power utilization in cases with many modes required at high power level. Y1 - 2012 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2012.2205926 SN - 1558-2531 VL - 59 IS - 9 SP - 2549 EP - 2557 PB - IEEE CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Schäfer, Lena C. A1 - Ladd, Susanne C. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Maderwald, Stefan T1 - Open design eight-channel transmit/receive coil for high-resolution and real-time ankle imaging at 7 T JF - Medical Physics N2 - Purpose: At 1.5 T, real-time MRI of joint movement has been shown to be feasible. However, 7 T, provides higher SNR and thus an improved potential for parallel imaging acceleration. The purpose of this work was to build an open, U-shaped eight-channel transmit/receive microstrip coil for 7 T MRI to enable high-resolution and real-time imaging of the moving ankle joint. Methods: A U-shaped eight-channel transmit/receive array for the human ankle was built.urn:x-wiley:00942405:mp3399:equation:mp3399-math-0001-parameters and urn:x-wiley:00942405:mp3399:equation:mp3399-math-0002-factor were measured. SAR calculations of different ankle postures were performed to ensure patient safety. Inhomogeneities in the transmit field consequent to the open design were compensated for by the use of static RF shimming. High-resolution and real-time imaging was performed in human volunteers. Results: The presented array showed good performance with regard to patient comfort and image quality. High acceleration factors of up to 4 are feasible without visible acceleration artifacts. Reasonable image homogeneity was achieved with RF shimming. Conclusions: Open, noncylindrical designs for transmit/receive coils are practical at 7 T and real-time imaging of the moving joint is feasible with the presented coil design. Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.3553399 SN - 2473-4209 VL - 38 IS - 3 SP - 1162 EP - 1167 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraff, Oliver A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Breyer, Tobias A1 - Kruszona, Stefan A1 - Maderwald, Stefan A1 - Brote, Irina A1 - Gizewski, Elke R. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Quick, Harald H. T1 - A transmit/receive radiofrequency array for imaging the carotid arteries at 7 Tesla: coil design and first in vivo results JF - Investigative Radiology N2 - Objective: To develop a transmit/receive radiofrequency (RF) array for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the carotid arteries at 7 T. The prototype is characterized in numerical simulations and bench measurements, and the feasibility of plaque imaging at 7 T is demonstrated in first in vivo images. Materials and Methods: The RF phased array coil consists of 8 surface loop coils. To allow imaging of both sides of the neck, the RF array is divided into 2 coil clusters, each with 4 overlapping loop elements. For safety validation, numerical computations of the RF field distribution and the corresponding specific absorption rate were performed on the basis of a heterogeneous human body model. To validate the coil model, maps of the transmit B1+ field were compared between simulation and measurement. In vivo images of a healthy volunteer and a patient (ulcerating plaque and a 50% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery) were acquired using a 3-dimensional FLASH sequence with a high isotropic spatial resolution of 0.54 mm as well as using pulse-triggered proton density (PD)/T2-weighted turbo spin echo sequences. Results: Measurements of the S-parameters yielded a reflection and isolation of the coil elements of better than −18 and −13 dB, respectively. Measurements of the g-factor indicated good image quality for parallel imaging acceleration factors up to 2.4. A similar distribution and a very good match of the absolute values were found between the measured and simulated B1+ transmit RF field for the validation of the coil model. In vivo images revealed good signal excitation of both sides of the neck and a high vessel-to-background image contrast for the noncontrast-enhanced 3-dimensional FLASH sequence. Imaging at 7 T could depict the extent of stenosis, and revealed the disruption and ulcer of the plaque. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that 2 four-channel transmit/receive RF arrays for each side of the neck is a suitable concept for in vivo MRI of the carotid arteries at 7 Tesla. Further studies are needed to explore and exploit the full potential of 7 T high-field MRI for carotid atherosclerotic plaque imaging. Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0b013e318206cee4 SN - 1536-0210 VL - 46 IS - 4 SP - 246 EP - 254 PB - Wolters Kluwer CY - Köln ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ndoumbè Mbonjo Mbonjo, H. A1 - Streckert, J. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Hansen, V. A1 - Glasmachers, A. A1 - Gencol, S. A1 - Rozic, D. T1 - Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studies JF - Bioelectromagnetics Y1 - 2004 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bem.20007 SN - 1521-186X VL - 25 IS - 6 SP - 415 EP - 425 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sommer, Angela M. A1 - Streckert, Joachim A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Hansen, Volkert W. A1 - Lerchl, Alexander T1 - No effects of GSM-modulated 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on survival rate and spontaneous development of lymphoma in female AKR/J mice JF - BMC Cancer Y1 - 2004 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-4-77 VL - 77 IS - 4 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hansen, Volkert W. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Streckert, Joachim R. T1 - RF Exposure of Biological Systems in Radial Waveguides JF - IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility Y1 - 1999 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/15.809852 SN - 1558-187X VL - 41 IS - 4 SP - 487 EP - 493 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Kobus, Thiele A1 - Scheenen, Tom W. J. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. T1 - RF Safety of the Combination of a 31P Tx/Rx Endorectal Coil & a 1H Tx/Rx Body Array for 31P MRSI of the Prostate at 7T (311.) T2 - 20th Annual ISMRM scientific meeting and exhibition 2012 : Melbourne, Australia, 5 - 11 May 2012 Y1 - 2013 SN - 978-1-62276-943-8 SN - 1545-4428 IS - Volume 1 SP - 311 PB - Curran CY - Red Hook, NY ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Kraff, O. A1 - Orzada, S. A1 - Maderwald, S. A1 - Brote, I. A1 - Johst, S. A1 - Ladd, E. T1 - Assessment of RF Safety of Transmit Coils at 7 Tesla by Experimental and Numerical Procedures (490.) T2 - 19th annual ISMRM scientific meeting and exhibition 2011 : Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 7 - 13 May 2011 Y1 - 2012 SN - 978-1-61839-284-8 IS - Volume 1 SP - 475 PB - Curran CY - Red Hook, NY ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Kraff, O. A1 - Orzada, S. A1 - Maderwald, S. A1 - Brote, I. A1 - Ladd, M. T1 - Experimental and Numerical Assessment of RF Safety of Transmit Coils at 7 Tesla T2 - ISMRM workshop on MR safety 2010 : RF heating of the human in MRI : workshop series. The Washington County Historic Courthouse, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA, 15 - 17 October 2010 Y1 - 2010 SN - 978-1-62276-088-6 SP - 195 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - El Quardi, A. A1 - Streckert, J. A1 - Bitz, Andreas A1 - Münkner, S. A1 - Engel, J. A1 - Hansen, V. T1 - New fin-line devices for radiofrequency exposure of small biological samples in vitro allowing whole-cell patch clamp recordings JF - Bioelectromagnetics N2 - The development and analysis of three waveguides for the exposure of small biological in vitro samples to mobile communication signals at 900 MHz (GSM, Global System for Mobile Communications), 1.8 GHz (GSM), and 2 GHz (UMTS, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is presented. The waveguides were based on a fin-line concept and the chamber containing the samples bathed in extracellular solution was placed onto two fins with a slot in between, where the exposure field concentrates. Measures were taken to allow for patch clamp recordings during radiofrequency (RF) exposure. The necessary power for the achievement of the maximum desired specific absorption rate (SAR) of 20 W/kg (average over the mass of the solution) was approximately Pin = 50 mW, Pin = 19 mW, and Pin = 18 mW for the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2 GHz devices, respectively. At 20 W/kg, a slight RF-induced temperature elevation in the solution of no more than 0.3 °C was detected, while no thermal offsets due to the electromagnetic exposure could be detected at the lower SAR settings (2, 0.2, and 0.02 W/kg). A deviation of 10% from the intended solution volume yielded a calculated SAR deviation of 8% from the desired value. A maximum ±10% variation in the local SAR could occur when the position of the patch clamp electrode was altered within the area where the cells to be investigated were located. Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bem.20621 SN - 1521-186X VL - 32 IS - 2 SP - 102 EP - 112 PB - Wiley CY - Weinheim ER -